▪ I. hey-day, heyday, int.
(ˈheɪdeɪ)
Forms: 6–7 heyda, (6 hoighdagh, hoy day, 6–7 hoyda, hoyday, 7 hoida), 6–8 hey day, (7 hay da, ha day, 8 heigh-day), 7– hey-day, 8– heyday. See also high-day.
[app. a compound of hey int.; the second element is of doubtful origin, but at length identified with day. The early heyda agrees in form, but less in sense, with Ger. ˈheida, heiˈda = hey there!: cf. also Ger. ˈheidi, heiˈdi.]
An exclamation denoting frolicsomeness, gaiety, surprise, wonder, etc.
| 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 757 Courtly Abusyon, Rutty bully, ioly rutterkyn, heyda! 1552 Huloet, Heyda or hey, euax. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iii. iii. (Arb.) 48 Hoighdagh, if faire fine mistresse Custance sawe you now. 1598 B. Jonson Ev. Man in Hum. iv. ii, Hoyday, here is stuffe! 1607 Heywood Fayre Mayde Wks. 1874 II. 11 Hoida; come up. 1622 B. Jonson Masque Augures, Hey-da! what Hans Flutterkin is this? what Dutchman doe's build or frame castles in the aire? 1672 Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Rehearsal ii. iv. (Arb.) 61 Hey day, hey day! I know not what to do, nor what to say. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 171 ¶3, I go no further than, Say you so, Sir? Indeed! Heyday! 1741 Richardson Pamela (1824) I. 67 Hey-day, why so nimble, and whither so fast? said she. 1780 Wesley Wks. (1872) X. 164 Heigh-day! What has this to do here? 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. vii, Heyday! Pray, what does he want with me? 1855 Kingsley Heroes, Theseus ii. (1856) 184 Hey⁓day, we are all masters here. |
▪ II. hey-day, heyday, n. (a.)
(ˈheɪdeɪ)
Also 6 hayday, 8 hay day.
[Of uncertain origin; perh. connected with prec. The second element does not seem to have been the word day, though in later use often identified with it: see sense 2.]
1. State of exaltation or excitement of the spirits or passions.
| c 1590 Sir Thomas More (1844) 41 To be greate..when the thred of hayday is once spoun, A bottom great woond vpp greatly vndoun. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iv. 69 At your age, The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble. 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity iv. iii, Must your hot itch and plurisy of lust, The heyday of your luxury, be fed Up to a surfeit? 1783 Burgoyne Ld. of Manor i. i. (D.), A merry peal puts my spirits quite in a hey-day. 1794 Southey Wat Tyler i. i, Ay, we were young, No cares had quell'd the heyday of the blood. 1867 Emerson May-Day etc. Wks. (Bohn) III. 423 Checked in these souls the turbulent heyday. |
2. The stage or period when excited feeling is at its height; the height, zenith, or acme of anything which excites the feelings; the flush or full bloom, or stage of fullest vigour, of youth, enjoyment, prosperity, or the like. Often associated with day, and taken as the most flourishing or exalted time.
| 1751 Smollett Per. Pic. (1779) II. lxviii. 221 Our imperious youth..was now in the heyday of his blood. 1768 Sterne Sent. Journ. (1775) 86 (Hotel at Paris), I was interrupted in the hey-day of this soliloquy, with a voice. Ibid. 135 (Maria, Moulines) To travel it through the sweetest part of France—in the hey-day of the vintage. 1807–8 W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 143 In the good old times that saw my aunt in the hey-day of youth. 1824 Scott St. Ronan's iii, In his heyday he had a small estate, which he had spent like a gentleman. 1831 Lytton Godolphin 38 In the flush and hey⁓day of youth, of gaiety, and loveliness. 1839 Longfellow Hyperion iv. ii, The heyday of life is over with him. 1873 Symonds Grk. Poets vii. 232 In the bloom and heyday of the young world's prime. 1877 Mrs. Oliphant Makers Flor. xiv. 346 He was no more than thirty-six, in the hey-day of his powers. |
b. attrib. Of or pertaining to the hey-day of youth; erron. belonging to a festive or gala day.
| 1739 Cibber Apol. i. 14 All the hey-day expences of a modish Man of Fortune. 1792 Fortn. Ramble viii. 44 A man with his hayday dress..is passing over the bridge. |